Imran Khan, the leader of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), attacked Pakistan Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah’s late-night news conference on Sunday, May 28, accusing him of covering up the worst forms of torture and harassment of women detained by “the fascist government”.
“The interior minister’s news conference has left no doubt that the PTI women workers have been subjected to inhumane treatment in jail,” the former prime minister said as he addressed the nation through a video link.
Imran pleaded with the nation’s highest court to take immediate action in response to reports of rape against female party members and supporters who were detained after the riots on May 9.
In a news conference, the interior minister Sanaullah said that intelligence services had heard a discussion indicating that the PTI was preparing two distinct actions that would be carried out simultaneously. He termed these actions as ‘dramas’ and claimed that the recording showed that the PTI was preparing an operation at a specific property. Additionally, he said that the intercepted communications suggested a “rape act” would be carried out and blamed on law enforcement.
The former prime minister responded to the press conference by saying Sanaullah was trying to cover up and anticipate the horror stories about to break in the media. “If there were any doubts about women being mistreated in jails, this press conference from this certified criminal should remove all such doubts. We are also getting distressing reports of rape in the confines of detention,” he said.
Khan expressed his deep concern and claimed that a very disgusting occurrence had taken place. He highlighted that the administration was concerned about the inevitable backlash that would occur once the imprisoned women were ultimately released.
The PTI leader emphasised that women in Pakistan had never seen the kind of degradation the party is seeing now. “It is almost a year since May 25 when a large number of PTI leaders and workers were roughed up by law enforcement agencies, the government has been violating the sanctity of ‘chadar and char dewari’ (a metaphor used to emphasise women’s dignity and one’s protection inside the four walls of the house),” he said.
He emphasised how the PTI leaders, employees, regular people, and even women and children were degraded. “Their homes are being pulled down. Businesses are shut down, and everything is being done to terrorise and instill fear among people”, he said.
He emphasised that PTI is the only political party to actively encourage women’s engagement in the political process and draw sizable numbers of women and families to public rallies. “Unfortunately, an attempt is being made to roll back this positive trend by creating fear among women which will be a great loss to the country,” he said adding that such tactics were witnessed during the dictatorial rule.
“Today, I, on behalf of the nation and Pakistan’s biggest party, appeal to the 15 judges of the Supreme Court that the entire country is looking towards you. History will remember your role. Till now it seems you are slowly conceding your power and losing your freedom against the powerful. It doesn’t seem to us you are capable of taking a stand against the powerful,” the PTI chairman said.
Imran Khan alson requested a judicial investigation into the May 9 riots from the Supreme Court in order to identify those in charge of the looting and burning.
“It is the job of the courts to carry out an investigation and find out the culprits. We will fully help you. I will tell you to punish those who were responsible, but side by side, 25 people were martyred and hundreds were shot. Where in the world are peaceful protests shot at and then there is no investigation,” he was quoted as saying.
On May 9, the country of Pakistan witnessed massive chaos and ruckus after PTI chief Imran Khan was arrested. The PTI workers protested all over the nation and also targeted the country’s military institutions. Several of the demonstrators, including women, were imprisoned and there are still hundreds of individuals behind bars. Imran Khan asserted that these arrested PTI women workers were being ill-treated and raped in the jails.
